Chapter 4

Harry escorted Narcissa to Rosa Lee Teabag where they settled into a table at the darkest corner in the back of the shop. Her face flushed with anger over Harry antics. Who does he think I am, she pondered, biting down hard on her lip to prevent herself from screaming at him. Does he think I'm some sort of damsel in distress who cannot take care of herself?, she wondered.

"Thank you," Narcissa responded to the waitress as she set down a white porcelain teacup filled with her favorite peppermint tea. Narcissa took a small sip, savoring the warmth and refreshing taste. Harry took a swig of his green tea and tapped his foot anxiously against the leg of the table. Perhaps dragging her out of the bank was a horrible idea. As usual, he lacked a solid plan. He usually ran head-on into his decisions, stopping to consider them only after he initiated activity.

"Do not do that to me again," Narcissa hissed, her eyes narrowing at him. "I am not some rag doll that you can throw around wherever you please." Harry choked on his tea and coughed uncomfortably. Her eyes narrowed, and a snarl appeared on her pale pink lips. She took another sip of her tea and set the cup down gently on the saucer.

"What was I supposed to do? I needed to get your attention," he defended, crossing his arms over his chest. "Why do you keep avoiding me?"

Narcissa's nose flared as she looked at him. The sheer stupidity of his question shocked her. She did not bother to entertain him with a response. She crossed her right leg over her left and stared at the painting hanging behind his head. She stared hard at it until the colors blurred into one hazy image. A fresh wave of tears formed in the corners of her eyes. She bit down on her lip again, drawing blood this time. She quickly wiped it off with her linen napkin.

"So, what are we going to do with Teddy?" he asked, hoping that reminding her of their little charge would change her demeanor. It failed to work. Her snarl only deepened.

"You are his godfather. You certainly can figure it out," she snapped, raising her chin defiantly at him.

"You have to help. You heard what she had requested in her will. You signed the papers," he bit out through gritted teeth. Her cold façade was getting irritating. He wanted to reach across the table and shake some sense into her. He understood that she was upset over the loss of her beloved sister, but it did not give her the right to treat him like a piece of dirt. She sighed loudly and placed her hands on the table.

"Did I have a choice?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"You always have a choice," he mumbled. He took another swig of his tea, wishing it was Firewhisky instead. They sat in silence for a few awkward minutes before Harry finally had the courage to speak to her again.

They divided their co-parenting into weekly sessions. Harry agreed to bring Teddy to Narcissa's home during his overseas training sessions with the Aurors. Narcissa absolutely refused to disclose the whereabouts of her safe house, claiming that it was Unplottable. The last thing she needed was someone to catch Harry visiting her. It was also crucial that its location remain unknown to Lucius.

"So, you propose that we meet you an hour away from your home? What is the point of that? Do you want to add more stress to Teddy's travels?" he demanded, struggling to keep his voice low. Her preposterous demands grated on his nerves. In addition, she requested that he furnish his home with specific expensive items for Teddy, claiming that they were better than whatever he used.

"Absolutely. No one can find my home," she stressed. "Besides, travel by car is far less stressful that travel by Floo or Apparition."

"Fine, we can try your idea. However, if this is too taxing on Teddy, I will be delivering him straight to your doorstep," he replied. Her eyes widened at his statement. She shrugged and turned her attention back to her tea.

"Now, what about the house? I have no use for it. And, I highly doubt that you want to live in it," Harry pressed forward, no longer caring whether she wanted to continue. It was essential that they work this out.

"I obviously have no use for it. Did you think I was living there?" she snapped.

"No, of course not," he shot back. "What do you propose we do with it?"

"We sell it. Actually, I will prepare it for sale. I highly doubt you have any idea the amount of work that goes into selling a home."

"Fine," he responded, clearly put out. He highly doubted she had any idea either. After all, she'd barely worked a day in her pampered life. He finished the rest of his tea and tossed a few Sickles on the table. Her dismissive attitude completely wore him out. "All right then. I will take Teddy while you get the house ready. I shall come to the house in three days to see your progress," he added.

"That's unnecessary!" she protested, throwing her hands in the air. "I do not need a babysitter, Mr. Potter," she sneered.

"Honestly, Mrs. Malfoy, I am past the point of caring what you think. Do not force me to resort to other methods to get through to you," he snapped, his hand resting over the wand buried in the pocket of his jeans. He turned in the other direction and strode out of the shop, not bothering to give her a second glance.

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Three days later, Harry arrived at Andromeda's cozy cottage with Teddy in tow. He entered the kitchen, wrinkling his nose as he recalled the smell of the burning chocolate chip cookies on that ill-fated evening. He placed Teddy into his worn wooden high chair. Teddy squealed in delight as Harry placed a coloring book and crayons on the table. Teddy immediately reached for the items. A few seconds later, a page with various scribbles and circles appeared. Harry, pleased that Teddy appeared fully occupied, climbed up the stairs to find the insufferable blonde.

He found her sitting cross-legged on the floor of Andromeda's master bedroom. A handcrafted wood box sat beside her. Its contents covered the plush beige carpet. Tears flowed freely down her face as she stared intently at a photograph in her hand. Yellowed pieces of parchment were strewn about the floor as well. Harry slid into the room and slowly walked toward her.

He peered over her shoulder at the photo. It was of the three Black sisters in their Hogwarts uniforms, complete with their green and silver Slytherin ties. Narcissa looked very young in the picture. Harry guessed that she was in her first year, excited to start school with her older sisters. His gaze travelled briefly to Bellatrix. His ears rang with her trademark cackle as he stared at the demonic witch. He was extremely thankful that she had perished during the Final Battle.

However, the Bellatrix in the photo held a soft, innocent look that was completely opposite to her sadistic persona. A warm look was on her face, and her arm wrapped around Narcissa's slender shoulders. He could sense that her older sisters, Bellatrix especially, had taken it upon themselves to protect her. Narcissa's eyes positively sparkled in the photo. Andromeda looked just as happy as her two sisters, a wide smile adorned her face, and her deep brown eyes twinkled. The resemblance between Bellatrix and Andromeda was uncanny.

Harry turned his attention to the letters at Narcissa's feet. They were all from Andromeda and written at various points in her life. Some of the notes had various Muggle and non-Muggle photos attached to them. He studied the photos, noticing how Nymphadora aged in each of them. There was a note in Narcissa's hand. Her tears started to stain the parchment.

Harry took a seat beside her and touched her knee with his fingertips. She turned to look at him, not caring whether he saw her tears. She thrust the note into his hands, and she buried her face in her hands as a fresh wave of tears overcame her. Harry's mouth dropped as he read the first few pages of the note, which had been written two weeks before Andromeda's death.

Dearest Narcissa,

I know that it has been a while since we last spoke. I remember that day like it was yesterday. We had sat on your bed, huddled underneath multiple layers of blankets, since it was an unseasonably cold winter. You had asked me a silly question about a boy you liked. You had wanted to know how you could get him to notice you. You had always asked me these questions since Bellatrix always brushed you off, claiming that there was more to life than boys. We could not have predicted that she would get involved with a bad boy of her own! If only we had known! We could have tried to stop her before it was too late.

I had answered your question honestly, telling you that you should never have to try that hard to get someone to notice you or to like you. You should never beg for anyone's attention. I had told you not to worry, and that you'd never be without a proper suitor. After all, you were always the prettiest. I bet you have retained your beauty. The pictures of you printed in the Prophet confirmed that.

Not a day goes by where I do not think about you. How have you fared since the war ended? Are you still with Lucius? Or, have you finally come to the light about his devious ways? How is Draco? How has he fared since the war? I wish that little Teddy and I could meet him. Little Teddy could use a friend.

Honestly, I could as well. And, I have a feeling that you can use one too. I'd like to try to rekindle our relationship. You're the only family I have left. Families should stick together. We have gone through so much despite being on opposite sides.

A relationship won't come easy, but I want you to know that I am willing to work hard at it. I love you so much. I never stopped loving you. I can only hope that your feelings toward me have not totally faded based on some silly beliefs.

Please reply to my letter regardless of your response. I understand completely if you want nothing to do with me. Perhaps we can have some tea and discuss everything openly and honestly. You can meet little Teddy. Oh, Narcissa, I'm sure you will absolutely adore him! You always adored babies, and he is terribly cute! He'll change his hair to match yours when he is very happy. It manages to happen often, which puzzles me since nothing makes me happy these days.

Anyway, I'm babbling now. Please reply to me. I look forward to hopefully speaking to you and seeing you soon.

Love always,

Your Sister, Andromeda

Moved to tears, Harry wiped them away with the back of his hand. Everything he wanted to say to Narcissa completely slipped his mind. He exited the room and went back downstairs to sit with Teddy.

Narcissa's fine eye for design and décor helped beautify the cottage. She had created the cozy, homey feel that it lacked. She had replaced the worn furniture with more modern and tasteful pieces. Several buyers wanted to buy the property, and offers trickled in the day after the first showing. The remote countryside location, the quirkiness of the cute cottage and, most importantly, that it was Unplottable, were big draws. Narcissa wanted to sell the house to an older pure-blood elitist couple seeking a safe house. They offered the highest amount for the house. At Harry's insistence, she caved, and they accepted an offer from a younger couple that had supported the Order during the war.

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A week after the closing on Andromeda's house, Narcissa visited Grimmauld Place to pick up Teddy. Harry had granted her access and had keyed the wards to recognize her even without her wand. Narcissa took off her boots and padded down the narrow, rickety hallway toward the kitchen where she was to meet Harry and Teddy. She cringed at the sight of the kitchen. Empty takeaway containers had been strewn across the long wood table. The rubbish bin, filled to the brim, was about to topple over. Teddy's toys occupied a corner of the table. A small plate of baby carrots, a spoonful of peanut butter and a handful of peanuts had been left in front of his high chair. Narcissa shook her head and threw the contents into the rubbish bin.

The muffled sound of cursing caught Narcissa's attention. She climbed up the stairs and poked her head into Teddy's bedroom. A small rocking chair had fallen over. Teddy's unpacked overnight bag sat in the middle of the room.

"Come on, Teddy," Harry grumbled, trying to hold him down so he could change his nappy. Teddy giggled, flailing his legs and arms into the air. He picked up the wooden blocks on the changing table and chucked them at Harry. Harry turned his head to the side, narrowly avoiding the blocks. Narcissa watched for a few moments before stepping in.

"Here, let me do it," she said, shoving Harry with her hip. Teddy's laughter ceased as he looked at Narcissa. He stopped fidgeting. "You should probably give him a bath," Narcissa observed.

Harry obliged and carried the toddler to the bathroom. He placed him in the tub and set the water temperature. He walked back to the bedroom to prepare Teddy's overnight bag. He could not find the bag anywhere and tore up the room searching for it.

A loud cry from the bathroom startled him. He sprinted back to the bathroom. Steam rose from the tub. Teddy's skin had turned bright red. He quickly adjusted the temperature. He turned to exit the bathroom, only to see Narcissa standing in the doorway, a look of disgust on her face.

"What is wrong with you?" she screeched. "Are you an idiot?"

"I'm sorry. I got sidetracked trying to pack his bag," he answered, avoiding her menacing glare.

"This bag?" she asked, calling his attention to the bag slung over her shoulder. Harry nodded. He shuffled his feet and stared at the tile floor.

"You could have killed him," she snapped, rounding on him. "What were you thinking?" she demanded.

"Honestly, I don't know! I've been really busy with Auror training and, if you haven't noticed, he isn't the most cooperative child," Harry replied, throwing his hands into the air.

"You are so incompetent!" she shot back. "What were you doing feeding him food that he can choke on? You can't even change a nappy properly. Perhaps we should talk to someone to see if I can become his primary guardian. You clearly have no idea what you are doing."

Harry's calm and cool demeanor broke. He grabbed Narcissa's upper arms and slammed her into the door. Her body stiffened, but she did not break eye contact with him. He pushed his face toward hers until mere inches separated them. She shivered slightly, noticing the anger in his eyes.

"You have to cut me some slack," Harry said, tightening his grip around her upper arms. "I am sorry that I have made some mistakes, and I can understand your concern. But, you have to realize that I am doing the best that I can," he stressed.

"You really think..." she began.

"It has been extremely hard for me to balance everything without having much help. But, I'm not giving up on Teddy. Andromeda requested I be his father, and I am going to work hard to fulfill that role," he said, his expression and voice softening.

She nodded slightly, breaking their eye contact and glancing down at his chest.

"So, will you stop playing your silly games and move in?"

"Fine, I'll go get my things," she responded. He loosened his grip, and she slid out from under him. He slammed his hands into the wall in frustration. He took a deep breath and walked back over to Teddy to finish bathing him.

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The first few months were difficult for the new parents. Still depressed over the death of her beloved sister, Narcissa was withdrawn and barely ate. Alarmed at her thinning figure, Harry started forcing her to eat meals with Teddy and him. Narcissa initially refused, preferring the comfort of her small bedroom; but eventually gave in upon Teddy's demands that she join them.

Oddly enough, Narcissa fell in love with the little boy and was great with him. Teddy appeared to enjoy Narcissa's care. Harry observed them interacting, thankful that she found someone to make her smile. He quickly relinquished most of the parenting decisions, allowing her to do as she pleased.

One evening, Harry returned home to the overpowering smell of paint. Confused, he climbed up the stairs to see what Narcissa was up to this time. His mouth dropped open when he found her sitting on the floor of Teddy's room. Several scraps of cloth were scattered around her.

"Oh, hullo," she said, noticing Harry. "I hope you don't mind," she said, gesturing to the room. She had redone it and had replaced the worn furniture with newer pieces. She had also repainted the room's walls to a neutral green color. A painting of a lion covered one of them.

"No, not at all. It looks really great," he replied, admiring her handiwork. "I'll be downstairs preparing dinner," he said, turning to leave her to her work.

Over dinner he tried to engage her in conversation, but as usual, she replied with one-word answers or did not reply at all. Harry still could not understand what he had done wrong and why she disliked him so much. He attempted to ask her, but could never get more than a few words or questions out.

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The leaves crinkled and crunched under her black dragon-hide boots as she sprinted toward the downed boy. Her hopes for the end of his tyranny faded when she saw the boy hit the ground. She bent down, and her fingertips grazed his chest. She gasped softly upon feeling his faint pulse thudding against her fingertips. She lowered her head and hovered her mouth over his ear. She asked him about her son and was relieved when she saw his nod of admission, confirming that he'd seen her son alive in the castle. In that moment, she made her decision.

"He's dead!" Narcissa called back to the group of Death Eaters. Voldemort's blood-red eyes bore into her. He glanced at the infamous Boy Who Lived who looked dead. But, something felt off.

"Are you sure?" he inquired in a sickeningly sweet tone.

"Yes, My Lord," she replied, quickly adverting his gaze. Her head pounded as he destroyed her mental blocks. He whipped through her memories, each one of them coming to light as her shields fell.

"That is a lie," he responded, sighing deeply. "Oh, Mrs. Malfoy, you have been a very naughty girl," he hissed, waving his hand in the air. A collective gasp from the Death Eaters echoed off the trees.

"Cissy! How could you?" Bellatrix exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. She took her spot beside Voldemort. Voldemort's hand travelled down to the pocket of his robe. Bellatrix made no effort to stop him. She scowled at her sister.

"I..." Narcissa began, scanning the crowd for Lucius.

"You do know what happens to naughty girls, right?" Voldemort asked, extracting his wand from his robes. He twirled it around his fingers before aiming it at her chest.

"Avada Kedavra!" he yelled, sending a stream of green light toward her.

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"Narcissa! Narcissa!" an unfamiliar voice called out to her. "Wake up!"

I can't wake up, you fool. I'm dead, she thought, trying to tune out the voice. Do people talk to you when you are dead? Where's Andi?

"Wake up!" the voice called again, more forcefully this time. She felt her body shake. She bolted upright, shocked to see Harry in front of her. She blinked a few times, letting her eyes adjusting to the harsh light.

"You were having a nightmare," Harry said, pulling her into his arms.

"I'm alive? How? He killed me," she whispered, clutching at the hem of his pajama top. A few more tears trickled down her face.

Harry shook his head and wiped away her tears with the pads of his thumbs. He tucked a sweaty strand of hair behind her ear. She fell into him and pressed her head against his chest. The steady beating of his strong heart calmed her down.

"Did you forget that I defeated him?" Harry asked lightly. She shook her head, her hair fanning across his chest.

"It just seemed so real," she whispered.

And then, the floodgates opened. She spilled every single detail to him. She told him about how much she had hated the Dark Lord and how much she had hated Lucius for getting involved with him. She talked about how she did not regret her actions in the Forbidden Forest. She just didn't understand why everyone hated her when she really did not do anything wrong.

"I understand," Harry responded, recalling the many nightmares he suffered at the hands of Voldemort. "He's gone for good. You don't have to worry about that."

She nodded, nuzzling his shoulder. He traced small circles on the small of her back. She sighed deeply, relaxing instantly at his touch. Her eyes closed as he stroked her silky, soft hair.

"He won't come back. But if he does, I'll protect you and Teddy," he whispered into the shell of her ear. "You're my family now. No one hurts my family," he asserted before falling asleep.

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The following morning, Harry awoke with Narcissa's face pressed into his shoulder. Her legs and arms were wrapped tightly around him like he was her personal body pillow. His arm tingled, and her hair tickled his nose. He shifted slightly, trying not to wake her. She stirred, loosened her grip on him and rolled on her back.

Harry padded into the kitchen to prepare breakfast, his face flushed from the memory of last night. He settled into the task of cooking, hoping it would distract him.

"Thank you for last night," Narcissa said as she entered the kitchen. Teddy was in her arms, and she put him in his high chair.

"You're welcome," Harry responded, his blush deepening as he recalled what he had said to her. He hoped she did not remember any of them. He set a plate of food in front of her and handed her a mug of tea.

"You didn't have to do that, you know?" she said, taking a dainty bite of a piece of buttered toast. She turned to coo at Teddy who was happily eating his breakfast, seemingly unaware about what happened the night before.

"It's no big deal. You would have done the same if it happened to me, right?"

"Yes," she admitted. Her face flushed, and she focused on her breakfast.

Narcissa made good on her admission a week later, comforting Harry after an awful nightmare where Voldemort rose from the dead and killed both Narcissa and Teddy in front of him. In turn, Harry shared more personal information with her while she comforted him. She spent the night in his bed as well. He found it oddly comforting sleeping next to the beautiful blonde.

After that incident, the two finally let go of their differences. They realized that they had to develop a strong partnership to raise Teddy properly. They both understood that Teddy was very important to them, and they wanted him to have a good life.

And so, the following months passed with relative ease. They were able to converse openly and honestly. Most importantly, Teddy was happy and healthy.